Wireless router systems and methods

ABSTRACT

A communication routing arrangement includes two or more wireless routers coupled to a communication network, and a user device adapted to couple with the communication network through a communication path including at least one of the two or more wireless routers. The communication path between the user device and the communication network is selected based on available resources of the two or more wireless routers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of communicationdevices and, more particularly, to systems, methods, arrangements anddevices associated with wireless routers.

Much of the network communication today is routed at least partiallythrough wireless routers. For example, in a large office building,wireless routers may be positioned throughout the building to providenetwork access to user devices equipped with wireless modems.

FIG. 1 illustrates one such arrangement. In the system 100 illustratedin FIG. 1, a communication network 110 may be accessible to numeroususers. The communication network 110 may be a computer network, such asa local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), for example. Awireless router 120 may be positioned in the office building or in thegeneral vicinity of a user with a user device 130 which may be a desktopcomputer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or otherhandheld device. Thus, the user device 130 wirelessly communicates withthe wireless router 120, which in turn allows communication with thecommunication network 110.

Problems may arise if the user device 130 and the wireless router 120are positioned such that the wireless signal strength between thewireless router 120 and the user device 130 is weak. Further problemsmay arise if there are too many user devices utilizing the limitedbandwidth of the wireless router 120. Providing high-capacity access tousers in certain regions, such as remote regions, may also be costly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the invention relates to a communication routingarrangement. The arrangement includes two or more wireless routerscoupled to a communication network, and a user device adapted to couplewith the communication network through a communication path including atleast one of the two or more wireless routers. The communication pathbetween the user device and the communication network is selected basedon available resources of the two or more wireless routers.

In one embodiment, the available resources include available bandwidthand/or signal strength.

In one embodiment, the two or more wireless routers are arranged in amesh network. The two or more wireless routers may communicate with eachother in a master/slave relationship. The master/slave relationship maybe predetermined. The master/slave relationship may be hierarchical.Alternatively, the master/slave relationship may be determined in realtime.

In one embodiment, the communication routing arrangement furtherincludes a multiplexer coupled to the two or more wireless routers andpositioned in the communication path between the two or more routers andthe user device. The multiplexer may be adapted to select thecommunication path. The multiplexer may be adapted to select one or morerouters for uploading to the network and one or more routers fordownloading to the user device. The multiplexer may be adapted to form avirtual mesh network of the two or more wireless routers.

In another aspect of the invention, a router multiplexer includes inputsadapted to couple to two or more wireless routers for communication witha communication network, an output for coupling to a user device, and amultiplexing module adapted to select a communication path between theuser device and the communication network based on available resourcesof the two or more wireless routers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a prior art wirelesscommunication arrangement;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless communicationarrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless communicationarrangement according to another embodiment of the present invention;and

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless communicationarrangement according to still another embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention enhance wireless communicationbetween a user device and a network through the use of two or morewireless routers. Each router is preferably separately connected to thenetwork. The two or more wireless routers may be used in numerousmanners to improve the communication.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a block diagram of an exemplary wirelesscommunication arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention isillustrated. In the system 200 illustrated, a communication network 110may be accessible to one or more users, such as a user with a userdevice 230. The user device 230 may be a desktop computer, a laptopcomputer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable phone, otherhandheld device, or any other communication device. The communicationnetwork 110 may be a computer network, such as a local area network(LAN), a wide area network (WAN) or a public network, such as theInternet, for example. Further, the communication network 110 may be awireless phone network, such as a cellular network.

A plurality of wireless routers 221-225 are positioned in the generalvicinity of the user device 230. The wireless routers may bethird-generation (3G) wireless routers. The routers 221-225 may beindependently positioned at various locations in the general vicinity.For example, the routers 221-225 may be distributed throughout abuilding, a district or a city. Alternatively, the routers 221-225 maybe positioned as a single bundle. Further, the routers 221-225 may beidentical routers or different routers. In one embodiment, the routersare adapted for a maximum data rate of 1.8 Mbps. Further, the routersmay be associated with one or more networks. For example, the firstrouter 221 may be associated with an Ethernet, while the second router222 may be associated with an Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO) network.

The user device 230 may communicate with the communication network 110through one or more of the routers 221-225. In one embodiment, the userdevice 230 may determine the resources available from each router221-225. The resources may include signal strength and bandwidth, forexample. Upon determination of the available resources from each router221-225, the user device 230 may select a communication path with thecommunication network 110. Accordingly, the user device 230 may selectone or more of the routers 221-225 for communication with thecommunication network 110.

In one embodiment, the bandwidth of two or more of the routers 221-225may be combined to provided greater capacity to the user device 230. Thecombining of the routers 221-225 may be accomplished by linking two ormore of the routers 221-225. In this regard, the resources of the two ormore routers 221-225 may be bundled to provide greater capacity.

Alternatively, the routers 221-225 may be virtually combined by the userdevice 230. In this regard, the user device 230 may select two or morerouters 221-225 based on the available resources. For example, the userdevice 230 may select two routers with excellent signal strength andavailable bandwidth. The user device 230 may be provided with softwareto enable the user device 230 to user two or more routers for thecommunication. Thus, if two of the routers 221-225 each have a maximumdata rate of 1.8 Mbps, the two routers may be combined to provide theuser device 230 with a bandwidth of up to 3.6 Mbps.

Further, although the system 200 of FIG. 2 illustrates the routers221-225 directly connected to the network 110, in some embodiments, therouters 221-225 may be associated with other networks through whichcommunications are routed to the network 110.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a block diagram of a wireless communicationarrangement according to another embodiment of the present invention isillustrated. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the arrangement 300 includes aplurality of wireless routers 321-325 configured as a mesh network 320.Each of the routers 321-325 in the mesh network 320 is separatelycoupled to the communication network. In this regard, the communicationmay be directed through the mesh network 320 to avoid congestion in aparticular router, for example.

The direction of the communication through the mesh network 320 may becontrolled in any of numerous manners. The mesh network 320 may beconfigured according to IEEE 802.11b/g. In one embodiment, software maybe provided to dynamically route the communication traffic throughrouters that provide the best bandwidth and/or signal strength. Suchsoftware may be similar to that used in typical Internet routing. Inthis regard, the software may be adapted to discover routers thatprovide the best bandwidth by employing algorithms and/or heuristics.For example, in one embodiment, the software may be configured to queryeach router for signal strength.

The software may be implemented on each router 321-325. In oneembodiment, each router may be capable of communicating with anotherrouter in a slave/master relationship. The slave/master relationship maybe based on predetermined relationships or may be determined in realtime. The routers may be configured in a hierarchical relationship. Inthis regard, as an example, a first router 321 may be configured as amaster to each of the other routers 322-325, while the second router 322may be a slave to the first router 321 and a master to the remainingrouters 323-325.

From the perspective of the user device 330, the mesh network 320functions as a single router with a high capacity. Thus, a communicationpath between the user device and the communication network is selectedbased on available resources of the two or more wireless routers toprovide greater bandwidth or improved signal strength, for example.

In another embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a wirelesscommunication arrangement 400 may include a router multiplexer 440 tofacilitate communication between a user device 430 and the communicationnetwork 110. The router multiplexer 440 is adapted to provide the userdevice 430 with access to two or more wireless routers 421-425 forcommunication with the network 110. In this regard, the routermultiplexer 440 may include two or more inputs for coupling the routermultiplexer 440 to the wireless routers 421-425 and one or more outputsfor coupling to the user device 430.

The inputs may be adapted to wirelessly link to the routers 421-425.Alternatively, the inputs may provide a direct, wired link to therouters 421-425. In this regard, the router multiplexer 440 may provideinputs, such as slots, for connection of multiple routers thereto.

Similarly, the outputs may provide a wireless link to the user device430. Alternatively, the router multiplexer 440 may be formed as a modulewithin the user device 430 or may be a peripheral for the user device430.

Further, the router multiplexer 440 may include a multiplexing moduleconfigured with the software described above. In one embodiment, themultiplexing module may be configured to form a virtual mesh network ofthe routers 421-425. In this regard, although the routers 421-425 arenot directly in communication with one another, the multiplexing moduleof the router multiplexer 440 may allow such communication.

In one embodiment, the router multiplexer 440 is a router itself capableof connecting to other routers and managing the selection of thecommunication path.

In the various embodiments described above, software or hardware may beadapted to select a communication path between the user device and thecommunication network based on available resources of the two or morewireless routers.

In one embodiment, the selection of a communication path between theuser device and the network may include selecting different routers foreach direction of communication. For example, the resources of one ormore wireless router may be selected for downloading signals from thecommunication network to the user device, while the resources of otherwireless router(s) may be selected for uploading signals from the userdevice to the communication network.

Thus, embodiments of the present invention allow a user device toexperience improved connectivity with a network, including greaterbandwidth and/or improved signal strength. Further, high-capacity accessmay be provided at a reduced cost to remote locations, for example.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have beendisclosed, it is to be understood that various different modificationsand combinations are possible and are contemplated within the truespirit and scope of the appended claims. There is no intention,therefore, of limitations to the exact abstract and disclosure hereinpresented.

What is claimed is:
 1. A communication routing arrangement, comprising:two or more wireless routers coupled to a communication network; and auser device adapted to couple with the communication network through acommunication path including at least one of the two or more wirelessrouters; wherein the communication path between the user device and thecommunication network is selected based on available resources of thetwo or more wireless routers.
 2. The communication routing arrangementof claim 1, wherein the available resources include available bandwidthand/or signal strength.
 3. The communication routing arrangement ofclaim 1, wherein the two or more wireless routers are arranged in a meshnetwork.
 4. The communication routing arrangement of claim 3, whereinthe two or more wireless routers communicate with each other in amaster/slave relationship.
 5. The communication routing arrangement ofclaim 4, wherein the master/slave relationship is predetermined.
 6. Thecommunication routing arrangement of claim 5, wherein the master/slaverelationship is hierarchical.
 7. The communication routing arrangementof claim 4, wherein the master/slave relationship is determined in realtime.
 8. The communication routing arrangement of claim 1, wherein thetwo or more wireless routers are associated with one or more networks.9. The communication routing arrangement of claim 8, wherein the one ormore networks include an Ethernet or an Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO)network.